1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a vehicle front body structure, particularly to a structure of a dash panel and a dash side panel, and a structure around a joined portion therebetween.
2. Description of Related Art
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 9(1997)-309461 discloses a front pillar joined to an outer side in a vehicle transverse direction of a dash panel which partitions an engine compartment and a cabin compartment. The front pillar has a closed cross-section composed of an inner panel and an outer panel joined thereto.
The above front pillar has, on its front side, a frontwardly extending portion joined to the transversely outer side of the dash panel, which constitutes a dash side panel in a channel-shape extending vertically between the dash panel and the inner panel of the front pillar.
Due to the channel-shaped dash side panel extending between the dash panel and the front pillar, the rigidity of a vehicle body is lowered. Therefore, the vehicle body cannot generate, at a frontal collision, a sufficient reaction force against an impact load in a vehicle longitudinal direction, and vibrations cannot be effectively transmitted through the entire vehicle body during running.
In consideration of the problems as described above, an object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle front body structure, including a dash panel and a dash side panel joined together, with an enhanced rigidity, which enables a vehicle body to generate, at a frontal collision, a sufficient reaction force against an impact load in a vehicle longitudinal direction and allows vibrations to be transmitted through the entire vehicle body during running, thus effectively dispersing and absorbing the energy of the impact load and vibrations into the vehicle body.
An aspect of the present invention is a vehicle front body structure comprising: a dash panel having a flange on its transversely outer side; a dash side panel joined to the dash panel, the dash side panel comprising an upstanding portion having a substantially channel-shaped section open outward and a base portion extending rearward from the upstanding portion, the upstanding portion including a front wall on its front side; and a side sill joined to the dash side panel, including a sill inner joined to the base portion of the dash side panel, wherein the flange of the dash panel extends along the front wall of the upstanding portion of the dash side panel to be joined to the front wall.